Rotary hydraulic expansible chamber motor



W. O'DELL. ROTARY HYDRAULIC EXPANSIBLE CHAMBER MOTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 5, 1951 Filed Dec. 10, 1945 FIG.

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ATTOPA/E/ 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. ODELL ROTARY HYDRAULIC EXPANSIBLE CHAMBER MOTOR June 5, 1951 Filed Dec.

hwt Va o 7 M v m Patented June 5, 1951 ROTARY HYDRAULIC EXPANSIBLE CHAMBER MOTOR William ODell, United States Army, Linden, Mich.

Application December 10, 1945, Serial N 0. 634,122

1 Claim.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for Government purposes, without the payment of any royalty thereon.

My invention relates to hydraulic power transmission devices such as hydraulic motors, pumps and the like. More particularly it relates to an hydraulic motor which is particularly adaptable to remote control systems for furnishing control power at points separated by a distance from a central point of control.

Some of the illustrative uses to which my invention may be applied are as follows:

It may be used for the application of power to the wheels of a vehicle; hydraulic power being supplied from a central source of fluid pressure in the vehicle through suitable conduits to my hydraulic motor which drives directly wheels or other mechanism. Various uses for the invention may be readily understood, including especially devices at remote points to be operated from a central fluid pressure source.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device with portions broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the axis of the rotor in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a left end view of the device with head plate "I removed and portions of the cylinder block broken away; the courses of passages 30" and SI" and ports 28-29 in the removed plate, however, being in dot-and-dash to show their relation to ports 2425 and 303I.

Fig. 3-0; is a vertical fragmentary cross section at the lower inlet port on the line 3@ of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3-11 is a similar section at the lower outlet port on line 3-h, Fig. 3;

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the device;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section in the major plane of the rotor at the upper abutment, similar to Fig. 3, but showing the piston advanced.

Referring to the drawings the device comprises generally a rotor I so mounted in the cylindrically bored frame or cylinder block 2 as to be capable of rotary motion in response to the pressure of fluid introduced into its peripheral channel 3 between hinged pressure flaps or plates constituting abutments d and 5 at bottom and top of the block respectively and the pressure land or piston 6 defining the ends of channel 3. Side plates or heads 'I and 8 are firmly attached on respective sides of frame 2 for the purpose of completely inclosing the rotor I whereby the operating fluids may be delivered to the rotor with a minimum of leakage. The respective side plates and the rotor are provided with internal conduits which in the manner hereinafter de-' scribed direct the pressure fluid to the channel 3 and permit its escape after its energy has been expended.

As will be observed, the rotor may be a single circular piece with parallel ends and channel 3 comprises a groove cut into the outer cylindrical surface thereof through about 270 of its periphery. The remaining unchanneled comprises the pressure land or piston 6 against which the fluid pressure is exerted to effect rotation. The abutments 4 and 5 are provided with trunnions I 9 and 9 seated in suitable bearings in frame 2 in such a manner as to permit hinged motion of the abutments 4 and 5 into and out of engagement with channel 3 and out of the path of piston 6 during rotation. The contour of abutments 4- and 5 is shaped to provide fluid tight engagement with channel 3 in order to retain the pressure fluid in the expansible chambers formed successively during rotation by the frame 2, the channel 3, abutments 4 or 5 and piston 6.

On the front and rear sides of the rotor I there are formed concentric inlet control duct grooves II and I2, mutually aligned and interconnected at their forward ends by an opening I3 extending through the rotor.

The grooves I I and I2 extend through an angle of approximately degrees about the axis of the rotor, beginning at a radius of the latter coinciding with the pressure end 6A of the pressure land or piston 6 (Fig. 4) and extending in a direction opposite that of rotation of the piston. They are so positioned radially that groove I2 is alternately juxtaposed at its advancing end to the diametrically opposite supply ports Ill and I5 respectively in the head plate 8, supply ducts I6 and IT in this plate leading to the ports I4 and I 5 respectively from a common pressure liquid source at 32 in one edge of the plate 8. Groove I I likewise successively registers with diametrically opposite inlet duct ports I8 and E9 in head plate I, by-pass inlet ducts 20 and 2| formed in this plate leading vertically from these ports respectively to inlet duct ports 3 and 35' in the inner face of the plate nearer the bottom and top respectively of the plate 1. The latter two register respectively with inlet ports 34 and 35 in the cylinder block 2.

In respective sides of the rotor there are formed concentric mutually aligned outlet duct grooves 22 and 23 mutually interconnected directly by an opening 23' through the rotor. These grooves extend through an angle of 195 degrees on the rotor beginning at a radius of the rotor axis displaced along the channel 3 by about seventy-five degrees from the pressure end 5A of the land or piston 6 in a direction the reverse of the direction of rotation of the rotor. They are so positioned radially that the groove 23 will be juxtaposed alternately to lower and upper diametrically opposite exhaust ports 24 and 25 in the head plate 8 located on a vertical diameter of the rotor axis, and from which exhaust ducts 232'| lead to a common terminal exhaust port 33 in the plate 3 opposite the pressure liquid source 32. Simultaneously, the groove 22 will register at its advancing end with lower and upper outlet duct ports 28 and 29 in the face of the plate i, from which ducts 3|! and 3|" extend to outlet duct ports 38' and SI in the face of plate 7 at the same levels with the inlet ports 34 and beforementioned. Duct ports 33' and 3i register respectively with outlet ports 33 and 3| in cylinder block 2 adjacent and spaced from ports 34 and 35 in a direction counter to that of rotor motion. There are thus provided paired inlet and outlet ports at top and bottom of cylinder block 2, and they are spaced closely on opposite sides of the upper and lower abutments 5 and 4 which are diametrically opposite each other.

It is also significant that the trailing ends of the grooves 2223 terminate at the same radius of the rotor as the trailing end of the channel 3, insuring venting of the last liquid from the channel 3 before the advancing side of the piston at each abutment. This termination is approximately seventy-five degrees back of the trailing ends of the grooves |||2. For the purpose of simplification of disclosure a single piston and two abutments have been assumed, but it will be apparent that the invention may be adapted to plural pistons, or additional abutments by corresponding variations of the angular relations and extents of the grooves.

The ports 30, 3|, 34 and 35 consist of simple transverse bores, as shown, extending entirely through the body of the cylinder block and positioned to register at one side of the block with the corresponding duct ports respectively as stated, but closed at the rear by plate 8.

Each of the transverse bores or ports 38, 3|, 34 and 35, have vertical extensions opening through the inner perimeter of the cylinder bore. able provision may be made for the accommodation of the abutments 4 and 5 at the inner openings of the inlet ports as may be required to permit the abutments to clear the path of the piston when the latter passes, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5.

By reason of the angular relation of the abutments and associated ports, and of the grooves and I2 on the one hand and the grooves 22 and 23 on the other, and the additional coordination of the channel 3 with the latter two as described, certain operations will be apparent which result in functions important for the device as described, whereby its operation may be effected at any desired speed within its practicable maximum, or it may be stopped at any stage, without liability of dead-center difficulty, and with very positive motion of the rotor, proportionate to the quantity of liquid delivered at 32.

Thus, considering Fig. 3, and assuming that all passages and grooves are filled with operating liquid, it may be seen that until the piston 5 passes the upper abutment 5, the upper inlet port 35 is closed by the piston lapping port I3, but the lower inlet port 34 is open to the channel 3 as Suitill in Fig. 3-11 from supply port l4 through groove l2, connection i3, groove i, port i8, passage 20 and port 34. This serves to sustain motion of the rotor by reaction forces between abutment 4 and face 3A of the piston until the piston passes the upper abutment to at least the position shown in Fig. 3. In this last named position, both abutments are in operative position in the channel 3, and since the latter extends over 270 degrees, it has at the lower part approximately degrees of its length still approaching the lower abutment. The intercommunicating grooves 22-23 being at the same time registered with ports 28 and 24, the outlet port 30 at the lower side will vent the fluid advancing before the piston, through 30', 30", 23, 22, 23, 23, 2 and 25 to the final exhaust 33. At this time also, the upper inlet port 35 is supplied with operating liquid, because the lower supply port I3 is in communication with groove |2 and through this fluid passes through l3 to groove and, for the moment, from that to both the ports i8 and I9, by-pass ducts 29 and 2|, ports 3435 and the inlet ports 34 and 35. At the initial moment assumed, the outlet grooves 2223 will be in registry with the ports 24 and 28, but their advancing forward ends will not have reached the ports 25 and 29 (which form part of the path of exhaust from port 3|), and so these are lapped by the piston face. There can consequently be no escape of fluid from the upper outlet port 3|, through port 29 to groove 23, so that outlet port 3| is virtually closed, and the column of liquid in the channel 3 at the left between the two abutments is confined at this outlet port. This liquid column may, however, escape past abutment 5 and maintain pressure against the piston at 3A while the port H) is gradually uncovered, admitting fluid through 2|, 35 and inlet port 35. In this way the full volume of fluid admitted at 32 is effective through both inlet ports in moving the piston until port i9 is fully open, when the latter will be sufficient alone to maintain the continued movement of the piston according to the volume of fluid supplied at 32. Thereafter closure of the lower inlet port 34 will occur due to lapping of the port It adjacent the trailing end of groove As the piston continues to advance toward the lower abutment the intervening liquid in the channel 3 may escape through the lower outlet port 30 as shown in Figures 3 and 3-1). The liquid between the abutments at the left may for the moment stand as a stationary liquid column in the channel 3 until the piston passes the lower outlet port 30, when a small quantity of liquid will be forced past abutment 4 and coincident opening of port 29 (in the same position angularly as port 25 dotted in Fig. 3) will permit escape of the previously standing column of liquid at the left through the upper outlet port 3|. Fluid flows from the latter through 3|, 3|", 29, 22, 23, 23, 25 and 21 to the exhaust 33.

In these operations, the advancing piston effects a wiping engagement with the abutment, camming it outward to full open position clear of the path of the piston, and after passage of the piston the pressure liquid in the inlet ports will move the abutment to inner operative position.

In the initial position noted, the lower inlet port 34 is about to be closed on from groove H by lapping of the opening I8 when the trailing end of groove passes, and at the same time the lower supply port M will be lapped by passage of the end of groove I2. However, this last lap will make no material difierence in the pressure of the port will then be efiective at groove l2.

supply in the grooves H and [2 because supp-1y Due to the length of the grooves i i and I2, fluid pressure is constantly maintained therein, as one or the other of the ports Hi! 5 is always registered. In the same way, the grooves 22-43 are always in communication with the exhaust 33 since one or the other of the ports 24-25 is always open to groove 23. Consequently, opening or cut-off of pressure fluid to the inlet ports 35-35 occurs essentially by the functioning of the ends of groove l I at ports l9 and I8 and opening or cutoff of the exhaust from ports 3l is effected by the ends of groove 22 at ports 28 and 29.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Hydraulic fluid such as oil or other medium supplied from a pressure source (not shown),

usually located at some remote convenient point,

is conveyed under pressure through suitable conduits to the inlet port 32 in side plate 8. Upon arrival at the inlet 32, the fluid will flow through the ducts l6 and H in the plate 8 until it arrives at the openings it and I5 in the inner face of the plate 8. Thereupon it enters the inlet duct groove I2 in the side of the rotor, said groove I2 being juxtaposed to either opening M or l5 or both depending upon the angular position of the rotor as before explained. The fluid will then flow through groove [2 until it reaches the opening [3 extending through the rotor l which will permit it to pass through the rotor and into the corresponding groove H on the opposite side of the rotor. Depending upon the angular position of the rotor, the fluid then passes into either of the openings i8 or it in the side plate I. Thereupon the fluid will pass into the side plate I through either the duct 2%] or 21 to be delivered through the outer ends 34' or thereof and through ports 34 or 35 into the adjacent one of the pressure chambers alternately formed by the frame 2, the channel 3, pressure end 6A of piston 6 and abutments 4 or 5.

At this point the fluid under pr ssure will exert pressure both on the abutment and pressure end 6A of piston ii with resultant forces causing a rotary motion of the rotor. The abutments 4 and 5 are mounted for hinged motion as indicated and are so constructed. as to firmly engage the channel 3 so that fluid will not leak into the space behind the abutments. For the major portion of the cycle of rotation, pressure will be applied to only one of the expansible chambers at a time inasmuch as only one of the openings it or 59 will be juxtaposed to the groove H. There will, however, be the short interval before described during which fluid enters both pressure chambers inasmuch as one of the openings !8 and I9 is opened sli htly before the other is closed.

Escape is provided for the fluid in the channel 3 and for air in the case of the first revolution by means of the outlet ports 30 and 3! in the cylinder block 2. These connect through 303 l with outlet ducts 3t" and 3!" formed in plate I. The escaping fluid passes through one of the ducts 3i! and 3l"- in the side plate and thence through one of the openings 28 or 29 into the outlet duct groove 22 formed in the rotor. Thereupon it passes through the opening 23 into the outlet duct groove 23 in the rear side of the rotor and thence through exhaust ports 24 or 25 to one of the exhaust ducts 25 and Z'i in the side plate 8.

Assuming that rotation commences with pressure end 6A of piston 6 adjacent to upper abutment 5, it will be noted that when the pressure between the abutment 5 and the pressure end 6A of piston 6 has turned the rotor a short distance in the clockwise direction (in the way before explained), and the trailing end of the channel 3 reaches the lower abutment, the outlet flow changes from the bottom outlet port 30 to the top outlet port 3! in the cylinder block 2 since the piston closes port 30, and the outlet groove 22 will no longer be juxtaposed to opening 28 in outlet duct 30" but is juxtaposed to opening 29 in outlet duct 3|. The converse will be true if the rotation commences with the pressure end 6A of piston 5 adjacent to the lower abutment 4. This action ensures that the pressure in the pressure chamber will not be released by a premature opening of the outlet ducts and that pressure will be exerted continuously while the piston passes from one abutment 4 or 5 to the other. There is a short time interval during which both outlets release fluid because the one is opened before the other closes. This action is necessary in order to maintain continuous rotor motion. But at that time the leading end of the channel 3 is closed off from the outlet ports by the piston and by the last abutment passed by the piston.

Assuming that the rotation commences with the chamber end 6A adjacent to upper abutment 5, it will be noted that when the rotor has been forced slightly more than half way around its cyclethe inlet flow is changed so that it then flows from the inlet control opening I4 into the control groove l2 and thence from the opening I 3 in the rotor and down the groove il in the rotor. Thereupon it passes through the inlet opening IS in the front head plate 1, through the inlet duct 20, duct port 34' and inlet port 34 into the pressure chamber formed adjacent to abutment i in the block 2. The latter action causes hydraulic pressure between the lower abutment i and the piston in order to continue the rotor motion of the rotor. The converse action obtains if rotation commences with piston 6 adjacent to lower abutment 4. Again there is a short time interval during which the fluid is entering both at top and bottom abutment chambers inasmuch as the bottom inlet port is opened before the top inlet port closes at l9, but with later opening of the lower outlet port 30 by the delayed advance of the groove 22 to the port 28. This, as already indicated, is necessary in order to impart continuous motion to the rotor. The change of inlet from the top to the bottom is made complete before the change of outlet from top to bottom is made in accordance with the earlier explanation and vice versa. When the rotor makes another half turn the cycle is complete and the mecha-- nism is ready for the commencement of a new cycle.

Abutments 4 and 5 are curved and set at an angle in the channel 3 of the rotor i so that the fluid pressure will seat them in the channel and cause them to wear into a more perfect contact with the channel thereby causing a perfect seal between the abutment and the rotor and the cylinder block. The abutments preferably have a length twice the depth of the channel 3 in order to set in the latter at the proper angle. channel 3 is preferably three times as wide as it is deep in order to provide the proper curvature for the bottom of the groove.

As indicated above, the leading edges of the inlet control grooves II and I2 in the sides of the rotor i are positioned at the same angular position as the leading end of the channel 3 in the rotor I. The leading edges of the outlet grooves The 22 and 23 in the sides of the rotor I lag the leading edges of the inlet grooves by about 75 in the present instance. This feature, as earlier explained, causes the path of flow of inlet fluid to make a complete change before the flow of the outlet fiuid is changed. This is necessary to maintain continuous motion of the rotor.

The side or head plates T and 8 should fit close to the rotor in order to seal the grooves. A tolerance of 0.001" on each side should suffice.

By applying rotary power to the rotor in a direction reverse to that indicated above the above actions will be reversed and the device made to operate as a pump.

What I claim is:

A rotary hydraulic drive expansible chamber motor comprising a cylinder having first and second parallel closing heads at opposite ends, a rotor revoluble therein having a peripheral part spaced from the perimeter of the cylinder and a piston part in close relation to the perimetral wall of the cylinder whereby to form a space partly around the rotor extending from the piston circuinferentially, a plurality of abutments pivotally mounted in the cylinder, each having an inner operative position extending diagonally across radii of the rotor from the pivot of the abutment to the periphery of the rotor in the direction of its rotation to define one terminal of a respective expansible chamber in the cylinder and movable radially outwardly from the rotor to an inoperative position clear of the path of said piston, said abutments being adapted for wiping engagement by the piston to be moved thereby from operative position to inoperative position and being yieldable to liquid pressure at their outer sides to move from inoperative position to operative position, liquid means to operate the motor comprising a pressure liquid source, supply ducts therefrom in the first head having an inlet supply port for each said abutment opening through the head against the end of the rotor, a first concentric inlet duct groove being formed in the proximal end face of the rotor in position to align with said ports and extending over an angle exceeding the angular displacement of the abutments, said rotor having a second concentric inlet duct groove in its opposite end of angular extent exceeding within predetermined limits the angular displacement of the abutments, and having cross communication with the first inlet groove, the cylinder having peripheral inlet ports opening thereon beside the respective abutments in the direction of rotor rotation, and opening also against the second head, the second head having inlet port ducts in delivery relation to said inlet ports and opening through the face of the head against the end of the rotor a distance inward from the perimeter of the cylinder to register with the second inlet duct groove beginning when the piston is passing respective said abutments, said cylinder having peripheral outlet ports opening therefrom beside the abutments opposite the respective said inlet ports and opening also against the second head, the second head having outlet port ducts in receiving relation to the said outlet ports and opening against the rotor a distance further inward than the adjacent said inlet duct groove with the same angular spacing as the abutments, concentric intercommunicating first and second outlet duct grooves formed in respective ends of the rotor inwardly of said second and first inlet duct grooves respectively, the first outlet duct groove adjacent and aligned with the inner ends of the outlet port ducts of the second head, and having the same angular extent as said second inlet duct groove, and exhaust ports formed in the first head positioned to align with the second outlet duct groove and spaced angularly the same as the abutments; said second inlet duct groove being of a length to register with two inlet port ducts simultaneously, said first outlet duct grove being of a length to register with two said outlet port ducts simultaneously but being set back in a direction the reverse of the direction of rotation in relation to the second inlet duct groove and said first outlet port duct, so that the outlet port duct near the rear side of the piston immediately forwardly of the leading end of the first outlet duct groove in the rotor is opened later than the thereadjacent inlet port duct, and an operative abutment interposed between the last-named outlet duct port and the next outlet port in the said reverse direction, said second inlet duct groove having a trailing end arranged to lap the said next inlet port duct opening after the next forward inlet duct has been passed by the piston and before said later opening of the nearer outlet port duct opening.

WILLIAM ODELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 398,988 Tickle Mar. 5, 1889 516,538 Hull Mar. 13, 1894 602,456 Kershner Apr. 19, 1898 609,579 Freeman Aug. 23, 1898 856,739 Slade June 11, 1907 1,059,702 Baughn et al Apr. 22, 1913 

